Housing for electronic apparatus including multifunction handle mechanism

ABSTRACT

A housing for a mobile radio includes a front housing member having a handle which is pivotally mounted on a hidden hinge at one end and operating in a closed position with a lock actuated latching plate holding it closed to clamp a front connector between the handle and the front portion of a recess in the front housing member. The handle additionally slides a floating locking plate carrying latching members thereon which engage the top and bottom covers of the radio receiver to hold them in a closed position. At least one of the covers is formed in a bowed configuration to provide a spring bias therefor.

United States Patent Inventors Carl Finger Glenvlew; George J. Selinko, Palatine; Stanley A. Yeager, Jr., Prospect, all of III. Appl. No. 13,335 Filed Feb. 24, 1970 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 Assignee Motorola, Inc.

Franklin Park, Ill.

HOUSING FOR ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING MULTIFUNCTION HANDLE MECHANISM 19 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 317/120, 317/10! R, 312/7 R, 339/75 R, 325/352 Int. Cl H04b 1/08, HOlr 13/54 Field of Search 312/7 R; 317/101 R, 101 DH, 120; 325/352, 353, 355, 356; 339/75 R, 75 T, 82

spring bias therefor.

Primary Examiner Lewis H. Myers Assistant Examiner-Gerald P. Tolin Attorney-Mueller & Aichele ABSTRACT: A housing for a mobile radio includes a front housing member having a handle which is pivotally mounted on a hidden hinge at one end and operating in a closed position with a lock actuated latching plate holding it closed to clamp a front connector between the handle and the front portion ofa recess in the front housing member. The handle additionally slides a floating locking plate carrying latching members thereon which engage the top and bottom covers of the radio receiver to hold them in a closed position. At least one of the covers is formed in a bowed configuration to provide a PATENTEU JAM 1 1972 3.634.732

SHEET 1 OF 4 INVENTORS CARL FINGER FIG. 2 GEORGE J. SELINKO STANLEY A. YAEGER JR.

BY %%b, fli ha ATTORNEYS PATENTED JAN 1 m2 SHEET 2 BF 4 BACKGROUND OF TI-IE INVENTION A housing for mobile radio equipment and the like must be of rugged construction to protect the electronic-radio equipment housed therein, should provide ready access to the equipment, should be provided with locking means for preventing unauthorized access, and should have a handle to facilitate carrying, installation and removal.

A large number of different cover latching mechanisms, handles, locks, and the like, exist for accomplishing these purposes but generally require a large number of different components for accomplishing these functions. The latching and locking devices for the cover plate or plates can involve complex mechanisms requiring springs and other separate components, resulting in high manufacturing costs due to the large number of components which must be assembled to perform the latching and locking functions.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide some means for securing the front connector for coupling the control head and I power supply to the radio housing in an engaged position, so that it cannot be removed from the housing. Devices for accomplishing this function exist in the prior art but generally require separate components apart from those utilized to latch and lock the covers into place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved housing for electronic apparatus.

It is another'object of this invention to provide a simple, handle-actuated latching and locking mechanism for securing the cover of a housing for electronic apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to use the movable handle of a housing for electronic apparatus to secure a connector in an engaged position with a mating connector in the housing when the handle is in a closed position.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a pivoted handle for a housing with an extension on the pivoted end of the handle entering into a cavity in the housing and engageable with a wall of the cavity to permit carrying of the housing by the handle in an open position without damage to the handle or the pivot mechanism.

It is yet another object of this invention to utilize a pivoted handle in a housing for electronic apparatus to slide a free floating latching plate in a channel in the housing to engage and to release cover members for the housing with the handle and latching plate in different positions.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, a housing for electronic apparatus includes front, rear and side housing members with top and bottom cover plates which are hingedly mounted to the rear housing member. A handle is pivotally mounted at one end on the front housing member and is moveable between closed and open positions to move a floating locking plate carried in a guide channel in the front housing member. The locking plate slides laterally between the first and second side members and members for engaging mating members on the cover plates with the latching plate in a first position to secure the cover plates. In the second position of the locking plate, the cover plates are released. An extension on the handle engages the locking plate to move it between the first and second positions with the handle being moved between its closed and open positions.

The front housing member for the housing includes a recess bridged by the handle, and a connector for attaching a cable to the corresponding mating connector in the housing is located in this recess and is secured'against removal by the handle in the closed position bridging the recess. A lock-actuated latch plate engages a projection on the free end of the handle to hold the handle securely in the closed position, with the latch plate of the lock being provided with strain relief by location shoulders formed in the front housing member on one side and by a latchplate retaining bracket on the opposite side.

A hidden hinge pivot is provided for the handle within a cavity on the opposite side of the recess by mounting the pivot for the handle between a pair of pivot retaining plates, which are inserted into slots formed in the front housing member and held in the housing member by a tie plate which bridges the pivot retaining plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway top view of a housing according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the housing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of the housing shown in FIG. 1 taken along the lines 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the section line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the section line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the section line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. '7 is an enlarged view of details of a portion of a mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view illustrating features of a locking plate mechanism;

FIG. 9 is another view of the same mechanism shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the housing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of another locking plate mechanism; and

FIG. 12 is a view taken along the section line 12-12 of FIG. 1 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the several views to designate the same or similar parts, there is shown a housing for a mobile radio of a trunk mounted type including transmitter and receiver units mounted within the housing. The radio includes at least two separate modular units, one of which is a transmitter and the other of which is a receiver. These modular units are accessible from both the top and the bottom of the housing and preferably include single layer circuit board construction to provide maximum accessibility to the electronic components of the modules.

The housing for these modules includes a front housing number 15, which is in the form of a one piece casting providing mounting recesses for components of the latching and locking mechanism of the housing. The cast front housing number 15 also includes at its rear surface a number of mounting extensions or surfaces 16 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 7) having tapped holes therein for receiving screws used to fasten left and right side members 18 and 19 (FIG. 1), respectively, to the front housing. The side members 18 and 19 both operate as heat sinks for the electronic radio components mounted within the housing, with the left side-heat sink 18 having a plurality of relatively deep fins extending along its entire length, and with the right side heat sink being in the form of a honeycomb configuration on its inner surface, as most clearly seen in FIG. 6. The extensions 16 on which the side members 18 and 19 are mounted are most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, and the housing frame is completed by mounting a rear plate 21 (most clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 6) by means of screws passing through mounting flange extensions 22 into tapped mounting surfaces or projections 24 formed in the left and right side members 18 and 19. The projections 24 are similar to the projections 16 which are formed as part of the front housing member casting.

The housing frame completed by these four members is open at the top and bottom. Mounting projections or surfaces are provided in the side housing members 18 and I9 and also in the front and rear housing members to facilitate the mounting of the modular radio components in the open cavity defined by the side members of the housing frame.

To enclose the housing, a top cover plate 25 and a bottom cover plate 26 are removably hinged to the rear of the housing by means of U-shaped flanges 27 and 28, respectively, extending along'their rear surfaces, with each flange 27 and 28 engaging a cooperating L-shaped flange on an equipment module back 29, which is mounted on the rear plate 21 in any suitable manner. The removable hinge thus formed is most clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, with the top cover plate 25 having downwardly extending flanges along its side and front edges which extend into a corresponding channel 31 formedin the front housing member and the left and right side members 18 and 19. I

As shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, the top cover plate 25 is bowed and is normally biased to the position shown in FIG. 2 when the U-shaped engaging flange 27 is in engagement with the corresponding L-shaped cover retaining flange on the equipment module back 29. The bow of the top cover plate operates as a relatively stiff spring for purposes which will be explained subsequently.

The front housing member 15 has a central recessed portion, most clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, with a handle 35 bridging the recess when the handle is in a closed position. The handle 35 is pivoted at one end of a pivot 36 which is retained between a pair of pivot retaining plates 37 and 38 (FIGS. 6 and 7) located within the front housing member casting in a pair of corresponding pivot plate retaining slots 39 and 40, respectively (FIG. 6). Each of the slots has a projection 42 therein to prevent withdrawal of the pivot retaining plates 37 and 38 once they are clamped into the slots by means of a tie plate 44 which holds the entire pivot assembly in place by means of screws passing through it and threaded into the casting of the front housing member 15.

This construction permits a hidden hinge to be employed by placing the pivot retaining plates 37 and 38 in a cavity in the right hand side of the front housing member as viewed in FIG. 1. The handle 35 includes a central widened portion which bridges the recess in the front housing member 15, and at the pivot end the handle 35 is made substantially narrower within the housing to fit between the pivot retaining plates 39 and 40. Of course, the portion of the handle above the pivot plates as viewed in FIG. 1 may be made somewhat wider in order to cover the pivot mechanism from view from the exterior of the housing.

At its opposite or free end, the handle 35 has formed therein, in a second narrowed portion of the handle, a latch engaging lip 46 and a location projection 47. The latch engaging lip 46 and projection 47 fit within a corresponding slot or cavity in the left side of the front housing member 15, with the location projection 47 resting on a corresponding shoulder 48 formed in the front housing member casting (FIG. 7). When the handle 35 is placed in the closed or solid line position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7, a lock mechanism 50 may be operated to slide a latch plate 51 over the latch engaging lip 46 to retain or look the handle 35 into the closed position shown.

The latch plate 51 is wider than the latch engaging lip 46, and is guided on a pair of guide surfaces 54 and 55 formed in the front housing member casting and most clearly seen in the sectional view of FIG. 4. In addition, a latch plate retainer bracker 57, which may be formed from a steel stamping or the like, is placed on a pair of shoulders adjacent to the guide surfaces 54 and 55 to form a latch plate guide slot in which the latch plate 51 is free to move in a lateral direction as viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7. The generally L-shaped latch plate retainer member 57 has an opening 59 therein for receiving the latch engaging lip 46 when the handle 35 is moved to a closed position. The guide surfaces 54 and 55 prevent forces applied to the latch plate 51 in the upward direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 7 from being applied to the lock mechanism 50. The latch plate retainer 57 also provides a strain relief surface for the latch plate 51 in the event that the handle 35 is moved from an open to closed position with the latch plate 51 already in the locked position shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. As a consequence, the lock mechanism 50 is protected from forces applied to the latch plate 51 perpendicular to its surface.

To release the latch engaging lip 46 and therefore the handle 35 from the locked position, the lock 50 mechanism is activated to withdraw the latch plate 51 to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 7.

The handle 35 carries an extension 60 extending from the pivot 36 at an angle of slightly more than from the main body portion of the handle 35. This projection 60 operates to provide an upper or open position limit for the handle 35 when it is raised as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 7. As most clearly shown in the dotted line position of FIG. 7, the projection 60 moves to engage a handle support surface 62 on an inner wall of the cavity formed in the right side of the front housing member 15. The projection 60 is of substantial width (best seen in FIG. 6) and, operating in conjunction with the pivot 36, permits the radio housing to be carried by the handle 35 in its open position, without danger of damage to the pivot mechanism used to hinge the handle 35. Thus, it is possible to carry the housing apparatus with the handle 35 in either its open or closed position as indicated by the dotted and solid line representations, respectively, in FIGS. 1 and 7.

Mounted within the housing on the rear surface of the recess in the front housing member 15 is a housing connector terminal 65 (best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5), which cooperates with an opening in the recess in the front member 15 to provide access from outside the housing to the connector pins or terminals in the connector 65. This connector terminal 65 is then utilized inside the housing to provide the connections to various radio components mounted therein. The housing connector terminal is mounted on the front housing member 15 between four connector mounting projections 67 (FIGS. 3 and 5) by means of threaded bolts which extend through the mounting projections 67 and corresponding projections on the connector terminal 65.

External connection with the terminal 65 is provided through a front connector 68, which may be of a conventional type for terminating a cable including wires extending to the radio control head within the vehicle, the power supply and the like. To prevent unauthorized removal of the front connector 68 from the housing connector terminal 65, the dimensions of the recess in the front housing member 15 are made to just accommodate the front connector 68 between the housing member 15 and the inside surface of the handle 35.

The handle 35 is substantially hollow and has a handle cover plate 70 fastened to the inside surface thereof by means of screws or other suitable fastening devices, with the cover plate 70 carrying a resilient pressure pad 72 extending through the cover plate 70 to rest upon and press against the front connector 68 with the handle 35 latched in its closed position. The cross-sectional view of the handle 35 and cover plate 70, shown in FIG. 5, illustrates the manner of captivating the pressure pad 72 within the handle, and also illustrates the manner in which the pressure pad 72 bears against the front connector 68 to force it into intimate engagement with the housing connector 65 located within the housing assembly. As a consequence, when the latch plate 51 is moved to the locked position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 to engage the latch engaging lip 46 of the handle 35, the front connector 68 is firmly held in position and unauthorized removal thereof is prevented.

In addition to providing a means for carrying the radio housing and for captivating the front connector 68, the handle 35 also is utilized to operate a locking mechanism for locking the top and bottom cover plates 25 and 26 in a closed position when the handle 35 is in the closed position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 10.

The locking of the top and bottom plates 25 and 26 is effected by means of a simple floating locking plate 75, which is best illustrated in FIG. 3, which shows the plate 75 in position behind the front housing member 15. The locking plate 75 is not attached to any other part of the housing assembly and does not require any mounting or fastening means to the remainder of the assembly shown in the drawing. It is loosely captivated in a channel formed between the front housing member 15 and the forward wall 77 (FIG. 1) of the radio modules which are mounted by attachment to the mounting projection pairs 16 and 78 or 16 and 80. The extensions of the projections 78 and 80 above and below the top and bottom edges of the central portion of the locking plate 75 provide vertical limits ofmovement for the locking plate.

The channel thus defined for movement of the locking plate may best be seen in FIG. 4 which shows the forward wall 77 of a module providing one side of the locking plate guide channel and the rear wall 82 of the front housing member defining the other side of the locking plate guide channel. Proper spacing of the locking plate 75 within this channel is provided by upper and lower guide flanges 83 and 85, respectively, which are formed by providing an L-shaped bend in a portion of the upper and lower edges of the locking plate 75 to space the locking plate from the rear guide surface 82 of the front housing member 15. A pair of wedging tabs 85 and 86 located on the upper surface of the locking plate 75 also operate to space that surface of the locking plate from the wall 77 of the module, with corresponding spacing being provided at the bottom of the locking plate 75 by a pair of wedging hooks 88 and 89. These spacings are best illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, the locking plate 75 is located substantially in the center of the space between the surfaces 82 and 77 and is vertically constrained by the mounting projections 80 and 78, with the lowermost edge of the locking plate 75 resting on the inner side of the lower surface of the front housing member 15.

Movement of the locking plate between extreme left and right positions as viewed in FIG. 3 is controlled by movement of the extension 60 on the handle 35. The end of the extension 60 terminates in a locking plate actuating projection 91 which enters an aperture in the locking plate 75 bordered by a pair of engagement flanges 93 and 94 (best seen in FIG. 7). When the handle 35 is moved from a closed to an open position, that is, from the solid line position shown in FIG. 7 to the dotted line position, the locking plate actuating projection 91 bears against the engagement flange 93 to move the locking plate 75 to the left as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7. Similarly, when the handle 35 is depressed from the open to the closed position, the locking plate actuating projection 91 bears against the engagement flange 94 to move the locking plate 75 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7.

When the locking plate 75 is moved to its rightmost position, the wedging tabs 85 and 86 engage a corresponding pair of mating hooks 96 (one of which is shown in FIG. 3) depending from the front edge of the top cover plate 25 and extending through a pair of openings 97 (FIG. 1) in the cover receiving channel 31 to lock the top cover plate 25 into a closed position on the housing. Similarly, the wedging hooks 88 and 89 engage corresponding mating loops 100 on the bottom cover plate 26 to secure the bottom cover plate 26 to the front housing member 15.

The two mating loops I00 are most clearly illustrated in FIG. 10, with FIGS. 11 and 12 showing the details of the manner in which the wedging hook 88 enters into and secures the corresponding mating loop 100. A similar operation is effected with respect to the wedging hook 89 and the other mating loop 100 mounted on the front edge of the bottom cover plate 26. In FIG. 12 it can be seen that the wedging book 88 has a tapered front edge 102 to facilitate entry into the mating loop 100 and also has an inclined rear surface 103 for tightly wedging the corresponding mating loop 100 against the surface 103 to secure the bottom plate 26 to the locking plate 75, with elimination of backlash and rattle.

Similar details of the locking function of the wedging tab 86 and the mating hook 96 on the top cover 25 are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 where it can be seen that the wedging tab 86 is inclined slightly to engage a similarly inclined surface in an aperture of the wedging book 96. As the wedging tab 86 is moved toward the right upon closure of the handle 35, the top cover plate25 is cammed downwardly by the operation of the wedging tab 86 in the slot of the hook 96. As stated previously, the top cover plate 25 is bowed or spring loaded to pull upwardly at its front edge; and this loading aids in pulling tight the entire assembly including the bottom cover plate 26 and its mating loop with the locking plate 75 to provide a rattle-free assembly.

When it is desired to release the top and bottom cover plates 25 and 26, the handle 35 is moved to the dotted line location shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, moving the locking plate 75 to the left. This removes the wedging hooks 88 and 89 from the mating loops 100, permitting the bottom cover plate 26 to drop off. To facilitate removal of the top cover plate 25, a pair of camming flanges and 106 which, are angularly inclined and mounted to the surface of the locking plate 75 facing the modules and are moved as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8 to a point where they engage a corresponding camming surface 107 on the mating hooks 96 attached to the top cover plate 25. In FIG. 8 the dotted line position of the camming flange 106 is shown just engaging the corresponding surface 107. It will be noted that the wedging tab 86 is out of engagement with the mating hook 96, permitting additional leftward movement of the camming surface 106, as viewed in FIG. 8, to force the mating hook 96, and therefore the top cover plate 25 to which it is attached, upwardly to permit easy removal of the top cover plate 25 from the housing assembly. The manner in which the camming flange 106 intersects the position of the mating hook 96 is most clearly illustrated in FIG. 9.

To permit access to the housing connector terminal 65 with the remainder of the electronic equipment housed within the housing assembly, an aperture 110 is provided in the center of the locking plate 75, with the housing connector 65 and the connector mounting projections 67 extending through the opening free of any interference with the locking plate 75.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the handle 35 operates to perform three basic functions in the housing assembly, namely, that of acting as a handle, preventing removal of thefront connector 68 with-the handle in the closed position and operating a locking plate for engaging and releasing the top and bottom cover plates of the housing assembly. The locking mechanism is a simple mechanism merely captivated in place in a channel formed by the assembly of the radio components in the housing assembly and not requiring any mounting or fastening means to the remainder of the assembly components, thereby greatly simplifying manufacturing assembly and reducing costs while providing a strong and reliable locking mechanism. It should be noted that with the handle 35 in its closed position and the latching plate in the locked position, the front connector 68 cannot be removed and the top and bottom cover plates 25 and 26 cannot be opened. As a consequence, tampering with the radio components is preventedsimply and effectively.

We claim:

1. A housing for electronic apparatus enabling access to such apparatus and including a front housing member having a guide channel therein, a rear housing member and first and second side housing members connected together to form a cavity, open at the top and bottom, for mounting the electronic apparatus, the housing further including in combination:

a top cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent to the front edge thereof;

a bottom cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent the the front edge thereof;

means for hingedly fastening the top and bottom plates to said rear housing member;

handle means pivotally mounted at one end to said front housing member and pivotally movable between first and second positions;

locking plate means carried in said guide channel in said front housing member and movable laterally between said first and second side members, the locking plate having upper and lower wedge members; and

a locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means at the pivoted end thereof engaging and moving the locking plate means between first and second positions in response to movement of the handle means between its first and second positions, respectively, the

locking plate means in the first position enabling the upper and lower wedge members to engage the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, respectively, to secure the cover plates to the front housing member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the cover plates is formed in a bowed configuration to cause the front edge thereof to be biased away from the locking plate means in said perpendicular direction, said bowed cover plate operating as a spring so that the locking plate and the cover plates all are securely engaged with the locking plate in the first position and with the wedge members engaging the wedge engaging means.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said guide channel in the front housing member substantially restrains the locking plate means from movement in direction perpendicular to the direction of said lateral movement.

4. The combination according to claim 1 further including means for securing the handle means in said first position and wherein the second position of the locking plate means disengages the upper and lower wedge members from the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, thereby releasing the cover plates from the front housing member.

5. The combination according to claim 4 further including camming means on the locking plate means, the camming means being spaced from the wedge members and operative with the locking plate means in its second position to force the wedge engageable means of at least one of the cover plates out of the plane occupied thereby when the wedge engageable means are engaged by the corresponding wedge members.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the locking plate means has an aperture formed therein, with the locking plate actuating projection of the handle means extending into the aperture for sliding the locking plate means in said guide channel in response to pivoting of the handle means between the first and second positions thereof.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the actuating projection extends at an angle from the pivoted end of the handle means toward the aperture in the locking plate means, with the pivotal mounting of the handle means being parallel to the plane of the locking plate means.

8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the wedge engageable means of one of the cover plates includes at least one mating hook means having a slot and extending from the forward edge of said cover plate at an angle of substantially 90 therefrom, wherein the corresponding wedge member on the locking plate is a tab extending from the locking plate at an angle of substantially 90 therefrom into a position such that movement of the locking plate from the second position to the first position moves the tab into engagement with the slot in the mating hook, wherein the wedge engageable means on the other of the cover plates is a mating loop extending from the forward edge of the cover plate, with the corresponding wedge means on the locking plate being a wedging hook for movement into the loop when the locking plate is moved from the second position to the first position, and wherein said guide channel in said front housing member substantially constrains the locking plate against movement in a direction perpendicular to the lateral movement of the locking plate in the same plane thereof.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein two sets of mating hooks are provided for the top cover plate with corresponding tabs on the locking plate, and two sets of mating loops are provided on the bottom cover plate with corresponding wedging hooks on the locking plate and wherein the top cover plate is bowed to act as a spring means.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first position of the handle means is substantially parallel to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means and further including latching means for securing the handle means in said first position, release of the latching means permitting pivotal movement of the free end of the handle means to a position at an acute angle to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means, causing the locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means to move the locking plate means to the second position thereof, and means for preventing pivotal movement of the handle means past the second position thereof.

11. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said front housing member has a recessed portion bridged by the handle means in the first position thereof and further having a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being accessible through the recessed portion of the front housing member for engagement by a connector, the depth of the recessed portion being such that with the handle means in the first position, the handle means prevents removal of said connector.

12. The combination according to claim 11 further including a resilient pressure pad mounted on the handle means for engagement with said connector to wedge said connector between the handle means and the terminal in the front housing member with the handle means in the first position.

13. A housing for electronic apparatus including in combination:

a front housing member having a recessed portion of a predetermined depth between first and second end portions;

handle means having a pressure member and pivotally mounted at one end to one of said end portions of the front housing member and pivotally moveable between first and second positions, the recessed portion of the front housing member being bridged by the handle means in the first position;

a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being attached to the front housing member and being accessible through the recessed portion thereof for engagement by a connector; and

a removable connector located in the recessed portion of the front housing member and having a thickness relative to the depth of the recessed portion such that with the handle means in the first position the handle means extends over at least a part of said removable connector and the pressure memberengages said connector, wedging said connector between said handle means and said terminal in the front housing member to prevent removal of said connector.

14. A housing for electronic apparatus and having a front housing member with first and second end portions and having rear and side members including in combination:

pivot means mounted in a first cavity in the first end portion of the front housing means;

handle means pivotally mounted at one end in the first end portion of the front housing member to the pivot means, the handle means extending between said first and second end portions of the front housing member in first position;

the free end of the handle means carrying a projection thereon for extension into a second cavity in the second end portion of the front housing means",

latching means in said second end portion for engaging the projection with the handle means in said first position and securing the handle means in said first position;

handle extension means carried by the handle means adjacent to the pivotally mounted end for movement within said first cavity of the front housing means for pennitting movement of the handle means away from the front housing member to a second position determined by abutment of the handle extension means with an interior surface of the first cavity;

at least one cover plate hinged with the rear member of the housing and covering and opening defined by the front, rear and side members, the cover plate having plate retaining means; and

means moveable with the handle means for engaging the cover plate retaining means with the handle means in said first position and for releasing the same with the handle means in said second position.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein the mounting for the pivot means is provided by first and second pivot retaining members located within the first cavity on opposite sides of the pivoted end of the handle means in the front housing member, the pivot means supported by the first and second pivot retaining members for permitting pivotal movement of the handle with respect to the pivot retaining members; and

a tie plate extending across at least a portion of the pivot retaining members and secured to the front housing member to secure the pivot retaining members to the front housing member.

16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the pivot retaining members are'flat plates and wherein the front housing member has a pair of parallel spaced-apart slots for receiving the pivot retaining plates, with the tie plate extending over the pivot retaining plates on the open side of the slots.

17. The combination according to claim 14 wherein the latching means includes a latch plate slidably mounted between a pair of latch plate-locating surfaces in the second end portion of the front housing member, causing force applied to the latch plate in a direction perpendicular to its direction of sliding travel to be transmitted to said locating surfaces.

18. The combination according to claim 17 further includ ing lock means for moving the latch plate between first and second positions, with the .latch plate in the first position extending over the handle means projection with the handle means in its first position and being withdrawn from the path of the handle means projection with the latch plate in second position, the locating surfaces operating to prevent transmission of forces perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latch plate from being transmitted to the lock means.

19. The combination according to claim 18 wherein the front housing member is a unitary casting and includes in said second end portion a channel slidably retaining the latch plate and providing force transmission location surfaces on one side of the latch plate; and

a latch plate retaining bracket for enclosing the channel on the opposite side of the latch plate and secured to the front housing member casting to provide a force transmission location surface on the opposite side of the latch plate, the projection on the end of the handle means being narrower in width than the latch plate, and the latch plate retaining bracket having an opening for receiving the projection.

l i I! i 

1. A housing for electronic apparatus enabling access to such apparatus and including a front housing member having a guide channel therein, a rear housing member and first and second side housing members connected together to form a cavity, open at the top and bottom, for mounting the electronic apparatus, the housing further including in combination: a top cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent to the front edge thereof; a bottom cover plate having wedge engaging means adjacent the the front edge thereof; means for hingedly fastening the top and bottom plates to said rear housing member; handle means pivotally mounted at one end to said front housing member and pivotally movable between first and second positions; locking plate means carried in said guide channel in said front housing member and movable laterally between said first and second side members, the locking plate having upper and lower wedge members; and a locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means at the pivoted end thereof engaging and moving the locking plate means between first and second positions in response to movement of the handle means between its first and second positions, respectively, the locking plate means in the first position enabling the upper and lower wedge members to engage the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, respectively, to secure the cover plates to the front housing member.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the cover plates is formed in a bowed configuration to cause the front edge thereof to be biased away from the locking plate means in said perpendicular direction, said bowed cover plate operating as a spring so that the locking plate and the cover plates all are securely engaged with the locking plate in the first position and with the wedge members engaging the wedge engaging means.
 3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said guide channel in the front housing member substantially restrains the locking plate means from movement in direction perpendicular to the direction of said lateral movement.
 4. The combination according to claim 1 further including means for securing the handle means in said first position and wherein the second position of the locking plate means disengages the upper and lower wedge members from the wedge engaging means of the top and bottom cover plates, thereby releasing the cover plates from the front housing member.
 5. The combination according to claim 4 further including camming means on the locking plate means, the camming means being spaced from the wedge members and operative with the locking plate means in its second position to force the wedge engageable means of at least one of the cover plates out of the plane occupied thereby when the wedge engageable means are engaged by the corresponding wedge members.
 6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the locking plate means has an aperture formed therein, with the locking plate actuating projection of the handle means extending into the aperture for sliding the locking plate means in said guide channel in response to pivoting of the handle means between the first and second positions thereof.
 7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the actuating projection extends at an angle from the pivoted end of the handle means toward the aperture in the locking plate means, with the pivotal mounting of the handle means being parallel to the plane of the locking plate means.
 8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the wedge engageable means of one of the cover plates includes at least one mating hook means having a slot and extending from the forward edge of said cover plate at an angle of substantially 90* therefrom, wherein the corresponding wedge member on the locking plate is a tab extending from the locking plate at an angle of substantially 90* therefrom into a position such that movement of the locking plate from the second position to the first position moves the tab into engagement with the slot in the mating hook, wherein the wedge engageable means on the other of the cover plates is a mating loop extending from the forward edge of the cover plate, with the corresponding wedge means on the locking plate being a wedging hook for movement into the loop when the locking plate is moved from the second position to the first position, and wherein said guide channel in said front housing member substantially constrains the locking plate against movement in a direction perpendicular to the lateral movement of the locking plate in the same plane thereof.
 9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein two sets of mating hooks are provided for the top cover plate with corresponding tabs on the locking plate, and two sets of mating loops are provided on the bottom cover plate with corresponding wedging hooks on the locking plate and wherein the top cover plate is bowed to act as a spring means.
 10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first position of the handle means is substantially parallel to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means and further including latching means for securing the handle means in said first position, release of the latching means permitting pivotal movement of the free end of the handle means to a position at an acute angle to the lateral plane of movement of the locking plate means, causing the locking plate actuating projection extending from the handle means to move the locking plate means to the second position thereof, and means for preventing pivotal movement of the handle means past the second position thereof.
 11. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said front housing member has a recessed portion bridged by the handle means in the first position thereof and further having a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being accessible through the recessed portion of the front housing member for engagement by a connector, the depth of the recessed portion being such that with the handle means in the first position, the handle means prevents removal of said connector.
 12. The combination according to claim 11 further including a resilient pressure pad mounted on the handle means for engagement with said connector to wedge said connector between the handle means and the terminal in the front housing member with the handle means in the first position.
 13. A housing for electronic apparatus including in combination: a front housing member having a recessed portion of a predetermined depth between first and second end portions; handle means having a pressure member and pivotally mounted at one end to one of said end portions of the front housing member and pivotally moveable between first and second positions, the recessed portion of the front housing member being bridged by the handle means in the first position; a terminal for attachment to electronic apparatus housed within the housing, said terminal being attached To the front housing member and being accessible through the recessed portion thereof for engagement by a connector; and a removable connector located in the recessed portion of the front housing member and having a thickness relative to the depth of the recessed portion such that with the handle means in the first position the handle means extends over at least a part of said removable connector and the pressure member engages said connector, wedging said connector between said handle means and said terminal in the front housing member to prevent removal of said connector.
 14. A housing for electronic apparatus and having a front housing member with first and second end portions and having rear and side members including in combination: pivot means mounted in a first cavity in the first end portion of the front housing means; handle means pivotally mounted at one end in the first end portion of the front housing member to the pivot means, the handle means extending between said first and second end portions of the front housing member in first position; the free end of the handle means carrying a projection thereon for extension into a second cavity in the second end portion of the front housing means; latching means in said second end portion for engaging the projection with the handle means in said first position and securing the handle means in said first position; handle extension means carried by the handle means adjacent to the pivotally mounted end for movement within said first cavity of the front housing means for permitting movement of the handle means away from the front housing member to a second position determined by abutment of the handle extension means with an interior surface of the first cavity; at least one cover plate hinged with the rear member of the housing and covering and opening defined by the front, rear and side members, the cover plate having plate retaining means; and means moveable with the handle means for engaging the cover plate retaining means with the handle means in said first position and for releasing the same with the handle means in said second position.
 15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein the mounting for the pivot means is provided by first and second pivot retaining members located within the first cavity on opposite sides of the pivoted end of the handle means in the front housing member, the pivot means supported by the first and second pivot retaining members for permitting pivotal movement of the handle with respect to the pivot retaining members; and a tie plate extending across at least a portion of the pivot retaining members and secured to the front housing member to secure the pivot retaining members to the front housing member.
 16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the pivot retaining members are flat plates and wherein the front housing member has a pair of parallel spaced-apart slots for receiving the pivot retaining plates, with the tie plate extending over the pivot retaining plates on the open side of the slots.
 17. The combination according to claim 14 wherein the latching means includes a latch plate slidably mounted between a pair of latch plate locating surfaces in the second end portion of the front housing member, causing force applied to the latch plate in a direction perpendicular to its direction of sliding travel to be transmitted to said locating surfaces.
 18. The combination according to claim 17 further including lock means for moving the latch plate between first and second positions, with the latch plate in the first position extending over the handle means projection with the handle means in its first position and being withdrawn from the path of the handle means projection with the latch plate in second position, the locating surfaces operating to prevent transmission of forces perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latch plate from being transmitted to the lock means.
 19. The combination according tO claim 18 wherein the front housing member is a unitary casting and includes in said second end portion a channel slidably retaining the latch plate and providing force transmission location surfaces on one side of the latch plate; and a latch plate retaining bracket for enclosing the channel on the opposite side of the latch plate and secured to the front housing member casting to provide a force transmission location surface on the opposite side of the latch plate, the projection on the end of the handle means being narrower in width than the latch plate, and the latch plate retaining bracket having an opening for receiving the projection. 